Caster and the like



.l. A. GAMBLE.

CASTEKZR AND THE LIKE. APPLECATION HLED JAN. 31, 1921.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

72%6 765K171. LJOZZZZLZZ 62726 Z 6 JOHN A. GAMBLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FIFTH T0 JOHN 3.,

ARATA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CASTER AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

Application filed January 31, 1921. Serial No. 441,149.

provements in casters for furniture, etc.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a caster which will provide a very easy running suppoit for the furniture so that the furniture may be very easily moved about on the floor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of caster which may be very easily manufactured and at a low cost.

In this connection, another object is to provide a form of shell for the caster which may be pressed out of sheet metalwith the attendant economies of manufacture and simplicity.

Other objects and uses of the present invention will appear from a detailed description of the samerwhich consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a vertical section through a leg or post of an article of furniture having applied thereto a caster embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a vertical section through the caster of Fig. 1, but on enlarged scale; and

Fig. 3 shows a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The caster is shown for purposes of convenience as being applied to the leg 4 of an article of furniture. The caster proper comprises a relatively large ball 5 of steel or other hard material adapted to travel on the floor; a stem 6 adapted to seat up into or be otherwise connected to the leg 4, and preferably an intermediate roller or ball 7. A suitable shell or casing 8 incloses the ball 7, and the upper portion of the ball 5, and is attached to the lower portion of the stem 6.

This casing 8 is preferably made of sheet metal either spun or pressed into the form indicated, having a downwardly depending flange 9 which may be threaded onto the lower portion of the stem 6, and having an nturned lower edge 10 of such size as to prevent the ball 5 from falling out of the caslng or interfering with the free rotation of said ball.

Ordinarily, a socket 11 will be provided in the lower end of the stem 6 for the accommodation of the ball 7 so that said ball will be retained at a proper centered position at all times. The shell 8 is so proportioned that when the balls 5 and 7 are in contact as shown in Fig. 2, and when the stem 6 is resting upon the ball 7, the lower edge 10 of the shell 8 will clear the ball 5 a slight amount so as to permit it to rotate freely. I

While I have herein shown and described only a single embodiment of the features of my present invention, still I do not limit myself to said embodiment except as I may" do so in the claims.

I claim: 7 1. As a new artlcle of manufacture, a

caster or the like comprising in combination a stem adapted for engagement with an article of furniture, there being a circular socket on the lower end of said stem, a cylindrical shell secured to the lower end of the stem, a relatively large ball in the lower portion of the shell, the lower edge of the shell being inturned and of a size smaller than the central portion of the relatively large ball to retain said ball in position within the shell, and a relatively small ball shell, the lower edge of the shell being inturned and of a size smaller than said relatively large ball to thereby engage the central portion of the ball and prevent it from being removed from the shell, and a relatively small ball located in the socket aforesaid engaging the upper faces of the relatively large ball, substantially as described.

JOHN A. GAMBLE. 

